Japanese しかない grammar shikanai
Let’s learn Japanese しかない grammar shikanai :
JLPT level : N3
Formation :
Nでしかない
Vるしかない
Meaning and how to use :
1. Emphasize on N. However, it’s used with the meaning not “very appeciated”. Is usually translated:”is just”
Only used with the combination: Nでしかない
For example
彼が天才と言われても、その才能を育ち続けなかったら、ただ普通の人でしかない。
Kare ga tensai to iware te mo, sono sainō o sodachitsuzuke nakattara, tada futsū no hito de shika nai.
Although he’s said to be a talent, but if he doesn’t keep nurishing his inborn gift, he will be just a normal person
いくら社会に打ち込んでも、人を殺した上はただ罪人でしかない。
ikura shakai ni uchikon de mo, hito o koroshi ta ue wa tada zainin de shika nai.
No mater how much you dedicate to the society, if you kill people, you are just a crime.
どんなにうまく言っても、行動しなかったら、結局駄作でしかない。
donnani umaku itte mo, kōdō shi nakattara, kekkyoku dasaku de shika nai.
No mater how well you say, if you don’t act, it’s just trash.
2. Describe “the only way…/there is no alterlative but to….”. Used in case there is only 1 way, method to do something.
Only used with: Vるしかない
For example
車が故障したので、歩くしかない。
kuruma ga koshō shi ta node, aruku shika nai.
Because the car broke down, I must walk.
彼女と図書館に行く約束があるが、今日彼女が風邪を引いちゃったので、一人で行くしかない。
kanojo to toshokan ni iku yakusoku ga aru ga, kyō kanojo ga kaze o hiichatta node, ichi nin de iku shika nai.
I have an appointment that we’ll together go to library with her, but she got cold, so I can only go alone.
だれでも手伝ってくれないので、自分でやるしかない。
dare demo tetsudatte kure nai node, jibun de yaru shika nai.
No one helps me, so the only way is that I must do it myself.
Related structures :
above is Japanese しかない grammar shikanai. if you don’t understand the signs we used in fomation, you can find their meaning here : signs used in Japanese grammar structures.
You can search the structure you want by using the search tool on our website (using key : grammar + ‘structure name’ or you can find more Japanese grammar structures in the following category : Japanese grammar dictionary
